Radio Azadi's Zarif Nazar was "highly commended" in the category of "Best Investigative Documentary" for his reporting on the plight of Afghan prisoners in Tajikistan and Tajik prisoners in Afghanistan. After Nazar aired the story on Radio Azadi, the Afghan and Tajik governments took action and transferred many of the inmates to prisons in their home country.

A video report from Ukraine by RFE's Iryna Tuz was recognized in the "Best TV Creative Feature" category. In "Welcome to Chernobyl," Tuz accompanies a group of foreign tourists through the "frozen in time" site of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor meltdown.

In the category of "Clearest Coverage of a Single News Event," RFE's Moldovan Service was honored for its coverage of the arrest of independent journalist Ernest Vardanean. In April, Vardanean was arrested in the breakaway region of Transdniester and is currently on trial for treason and espionage. Human rights groups and governments around the world have condemned the arrest. [full coverage from RFE's 'Journalists In Trouble']

"Afghanistan, Moldova, and Ukraine are very challenging media environments," said RFE President Jeffrey Gedmin, who served as a judge for this year's awards. "It's an honor for RFE journalists to be recognized by the AIB for high-quality reporting which has real and tangible impact in their home countries."

Last year, RFE's Azeri Service won an AIB award for its coverage of a national referendum that abolished term limits for Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

About RFERFE is an independent, international news and broadcast organization whose programs -- radio, Internet, and television -- reach influential audiences in 21 countries such Russia, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the republics of Central Asia. It is funded by the U.S. Congress through the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG).